Yeah I really feel bad for Rob, but it also may be very awkward for Glenn. His parntner in crime for so many years is gone, I really feel for him. I will definitly see Priest and support them in anything they are involved in. I love those guys too much. They are like my best friends that I have never met. I just saddens me that I never experianced the classic line up live. [Show/Hide Quoted Message](Quoting Message by spapad from Thursday, April 21, 2011 10:04:27 PM)

spapad wrote:

I'm sure most of us were greatful for the news. I can now see why HRMG said when Rob annouced the final JP tour on his Halford tour that he was truly down about it. He already knew what we found out yesterday. How could he not be anything else but sad to loose KK. I wonder if KK's annoucement was not a somewhat double edged sword for him. He did that same thing years ago, and yet this time he had to be the one receiving the bad news. Must have hurt even more to know that feeling from the opposite side.
At last, I'm glad they are all gentlemen and no one is throwing words at each other this time. Sad resolve for all of us.

icecreamman wrote:

I am just glad Rob had something to say so quickly. I thought it might take a week or so for the metal god to respond. Also it is good to Scott "growing up" to be a spokesperson of the band. When no one will give us answers, Scott or Rob will.

The Artisan News Service conducted a short interview with JUDASPRIEST drummer Scott Travis at the third annual Revolver Golden Gods Awards, which took place last night (Wednesday, April 20) at Club Nokia in downtown LosAngeles, California. When asked for an update on the just-announced departure of the band's original guitarist, K.K. Downing, Travis replied, "The update is in the press release [which came out Wednesday morning], so you know as much as I do. But you have to have the burning desire in your heart, in my opinion, to play heavymetal music."

He added, "We all start at a young age and it's not because of money, fame or girls — you start because you love the music. So if he's not feeling that anymore, then I give him props for taking himself out of the game, basically."

When asked about the remaining JUDAS PREST members' decision to go ahead with their previously announced tour plans with a replacement guitarist — 31 year-old British guitar player Richie Faulkner (LAUREN HARRIS, DIRTY DEEDS) — Travis said, "It's never an easy decision to replace any longtime bandmember, but PRIEST is almost like its own machine, and the fans want PRIEST to continue, we want it to continue, and we have to go on. K.K.… I can't speak for him, but we have to go on; that's all."

Downing released a statement earlier today blaming his departure from JUDAS PRIEST on "an ongoing breakdown in working relationship between myself, elements of the band, and the band's management for some time." He added that he "decided to step down rather than to tour with negative sentiments as I feel that this would be a deception to . . . our cherished fans."